2007 Portimão ultralight aircraft incident (CS-UPG)

Incident overview On 1 May 2007, a TECNAM P92 Echo Super ultralight aircraft, registration CS-UPG, departed the runway at Portimão Municipal Aerodrome during landing. The aircraft was operating a local visual flight rules (VFR) pleasure flight and had taken off from the same aerodrome at 10:35 UTC. It landed on runway 29 at 10:50 UTC, with wind reported from 313 degrees at 10 knots. ## Sequence of events After a visual circuit, the pilot made a visual approach to runway 29. The aircraft touched down in the center of the runway with the main landing gear wheels. During the landing roll, the aircraft veered unexpectedly to the left and came to rest in a ditch approximately 60 meters from the runway centerline. The pilot, the sole occupant, exited the aircraft under his own power and was uninjured. ## Aircraft and damage The aircraft was a single-engine, high-wing, tricycle-gear ultralight with a maximum takeoff mass of 450 kg and capacity for two occupants. It was owned by Aero Vip Companhia de Transportes e Serviços Aéreos, S.A. Damage included two broken propeller blades, a damaged engine lower cowling, damaged nose and left main wheel spindles, slight damage to the left wingtip, a broken engine mount, and lower fuselage damage. No fire occurred, and there was no damage to third parties. ## Investigation findings The investigation found no evidence of aircraft or system malfunction, including the brakes, that influenced the sequence of events. Asymmetric braking marks on runway 29 indicated greater braking action on the left main wheel. The analysis attributed the departure from the runway to excessive use of the left wheel brake during the landing roll, which caused the aircraft to yaw suddenly to the left and leave the runway.